KasinopratBordspillBlackjackWhat to never split in blackjack?
What to never split in blackjack?
I've been learning basic strategy and I get that you split aces and 8s. But I saw a video where someone split 10s against a dealer's 6 and won big, and another where 5s were split against a weak card. My chart says never, but a friend says to split any pair against a 6. So what should I never split, no matter what?
Never split 10s, 5s, or 4s, and that rule holds no matter what the dealer is showing. A pair of 10s is a 20, which wins on its own about 83% of the time. Splitting it turns one strong hand into two hands that each need a hit, and you risk breaking both.
Players who do it against a 6 are chasing a win they've already got, and the house edge climbs the moment you touch them. Same with 5s: together they make a 10, which is a hand you'd rather double against a 2 through 9, not split into two weak starts. And 4s are an 8, a stiff hand you're forced to play anyway; splitting them gives you two 8s that can't do anything but hope for a 3 or a 10.
The golden rule of blackjack is to assume the dealer's hidden card is a 10, so you stand on 17 or higher and you never hit a 12 against a 5, because the dealer probably has 15 and will likely bust. Stay on 13, 14, and 15 against a 5 or 6, but hit them against a 7 or higher. Doubling down on a 12 is never right; hitting is the only play.
On a soft 20, which is an ace and a 9, you always stand, because the dealer's fixed rules mean they hit on 16 and stop on 17, so they'll often bust against your 19 or 20. And splitting aces against a 10? Yes, you split aces against anything, because two aces are a soft 12 you're basically forced to play, but two hands starting with an ace each are worth more.
Don't ever split 10s, even in a gimmick video; they're betting on luck, not strategy. There was a thread a few weeks back about why splitting 10s is bad, and the math answer was the same then: a 20 is a winning position you'd be throwing away. The most successful strategy is to stick to the basic strategy chart and never guess; it's the only way the house edge drops to under half a percent.
Fleet Admiral William H. McRaven (Ret.) - #9: Life is a struggle and the potential for failure is ever-present, but with determination, you can overcome any obstacle
Never split 10s, 5s, or 4s. A 20 wins about 83% of the time, and splitting it gives you two hands that need hits. 5s are a 10 you'd rather double against 2-9, and 4s are a weak 8 best played as one hand.
People split out of greed, but it raises the house edge. And never hit a 20, because you're throwing away a winning position. The dealer's rules are fixed, so always assume their hidden card is a 10, and stick to the chart rather than guessing.
Croupier in Copenhagen for two decades. Seen more bad splits than hot decks.
One narrow thing: 4s are on the never-split list, but some double-deck charts let you split them against a 5 or 6. In a Norwegian six-deck shoe, which is what you'll get online, never touch them.
Retired pit boss. The house edge is not a rumor.
Never split 10s, because a single 20 is mathematically stronger than two 10s. I tracked 200 hands online once, splitting 10s against 5s and 6s, and it cost me 11,400 kr in a month. When I stuck to the chart and split aces and 8s instead, I turned a 200 kr bet into 1,200 kr. It's discipline, not luck. Casino rules vary slightly in Norway, but basic strategy is universal.